As author Gary Hamel noted, "The bottleneck is at the head of the bottle." That is where the potential of an organization is slowed. Where customer and employee promises are miscommunicated. Where meetings become hum drum "nobody raised their hands again." Better yet, where managers and leaders adhere to positions by agreeing to whatever cadence the senior team marches to in honor of self-preservation.

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My mother often said I am judged by my friends. A leader then is judged by the people he or she hangs out with. They are I assure you people who attended similar universities, clubs, backgrounds, and race. Their thoughts are genuinely the same. Innovation doesn't have wow signed on it. Because those with divergent opinions aren't hired by HR because of the muted directions of the people at the top. When teams are created they too represent this sameness. Forward thinkers are advertised as sought after but in quiet circles they permeate chairs with tried and true assumptions without dissension and especially diverse opinions. That's why you are losing market share. The competition is you. In other words, companies tend to self-immolate. Jim Woods

Jim Woods is a successful leadership trainer and speaker and executive coach. He speaks on employee engagement, leadership and change management, leading instead of managing and customer service. He is an author, a former fifth grade and university teacher with an impressive resume. He is beloved by audiences. To schedule a speaking engagement with Jim please schedule an engagement here. Go>. Connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin.